I’ve never heard anybody pronounce it “facks” as is suggested by posters in the GQ thread. That just sounds weird and it’s too close to “facts” for me to feel comfortable using it. Furthermore, “facts” makes just as much sense as “faqs” in most contexts.
Regard: Check the faqs.
Where the context is web pages, this could be heard as being asked to check either the facts or the F.A.Q.s.
I always say the full phrase “frequently asked questions”. It’s not really a chewy mouthful and it ensures that I won’t have to clarify when I’m asked “check what facts?” if I had said “faqs”.
I’d nominate Fack as the standard pronounciation, and F.A.Q. as unusual based on my experience. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone call it anything other than a fack.
The only time I don’t call it a fack is when I’m talking to someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience on the net, which is when I’d call it the Frequently Asked Questions, although I’d probably add “or ‘fack’” so they know if they hear someone else saying it.
I’ve always said “facks”. It sounds weird when someone insists on spelling out the abbreviation (“eff ay ques”). I love the phonetic similarity to “facts”, and I don’t doubt that it was intentional.
I’m thinking fack is common, if only because I’ve seen plenty of plays on the word. “Just the FAQs, ma’am”, for example. And it’s really the only way I’ve ever pronounced it in my head. (I don’t have an awful lot of opportunity to pronounce it out loud)
I can’t think of many situations where I would say “FAQ” out loud, but if I did, t would be “frequently asked questions” … not “fack”
I might say “eff ay queue” if I were being silly (like with my sisters when we say things like “wuz up?” “enn emm. you?” “enn emm.” “what ev.” or when we say “eff eff!” instead of “fast forward”) and I would only say “facks” if I were being REALLY silly… and I’d clarify what I meant. “check the eff ay queues. y’know… the facks.”
I don’t think I’ve ever had the need to speak of them, but in my mind’s ear, I always hear “eff-ay-queues,” so that is what I would say.
When I see something like “Just the FAQs” I think of it as a visual pun, not an auditory one, so that has never factored into the pronunciation in my mind.
